GUWAHATI:
The Assam police added yet another name to its burgeoning list of encounter victims after a suspected drug dealer was shot at in Kokrajhar district, on April 30.
Identified as Mohanlal, 35, from Barmer district in Rajasthan, the police said that the accused was shot at after he snatched the service pistol of sub-inspector (SI) Brijesh Kumar in his attempt to flee, a senior police official said.
With this encounter, the toll of people injured in police firing in Assam as touched the 113 mark since May 2021. The number of deaths during this period has been 46.
According to the official, a bullet hit the left leg of the accused, after which he was admitted to RNB Civil Hospital in Kokrajhar for treatment.
The police informed that Mohanlal was arrested in an operation in which, the police, based on a tip-off about drugs being transported from Guwahati to Rajasthan, had intercepted a vehicle and seized huge amount of contraband.
“A truck bearing registration no RJ14-GT 9213 was intercepted at Simultapu Majid Petrol pump. After thorough searching of the vehicle, the police found 3.100 kg heroin and 85 kg opium from the diesel tank,” the official said.
Police informed that the accused confessed to carrying the drugs from Imphal with the help of one, Joyram of Imphal, and the contraband was to be delivered in Rajasthan.
“During preliminary interrogation, the accused revealed that he has one more partner in Gossaigaon area. At around 12:30 am on April 30, he was taken by the police party to identify and apprehend the accomplice. At about 1:10 am, when the police party reached the outskirts of Dolgaon village on foot, the accused suddenly snatched the service pistol of SI Kumar and after pushing him, fired two rounds at the police party,” the official added.
Sensing immediate danger to the life and property of the police party, the other officer present in the team fired two retaliatory rounds at the accused, leaving him injured.
Surprisingly, the seized truck has been set on fire by some miscreants. Further follow-up action is continuing for inward and outward linkages, he added.